Water toy

ABSTRACT

A water toy and float including inflatable pneumatic body made up of tubes which surround and support a flexible seat. The tubes extend from front to rear and are connected by seams so that the outermost tubes can roll or fold upwardly along the seams to cup around the arms and body of the child sitting in the seat. The body also has thereon inflatable fins which are decorative and which can act as a head rest or cradle for the child&#39;&#39;s head.

United States Patent 2,124,062 7/l938 Grant etal Charles H. Chafin 874 Hickory Drive, Ind. 46011;

Roy E. McGaffic, 319 Ellenhurst Drive, Anderson, Ind. 46012 Appl. No. 861,570

Filed Sept. 29, 1969 Patented Apr. 13, 1971 Inventors WATER TOY 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 9/2, 272/] Int. Cl B63b 7/08 Field of Search 9/2, 2 (I), ll (1), 5, 1, l3; 272/1 (B), 32, (lnquired) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,404,729 7/1946 Hurst 2,674,753 4/1954 Wood .f.

Primary Examiner-George E. A. Halvosa Assistant Examiner-Carl A. Rutledge Att0rneyWoodard, Weikart, Emhardt & Naughton ABSTRACT: A water toy and float including inflatable pneumatic body made up of tubes which surround and support a flexible seat. The tubes extend from front to rear and are connected by seams so that the outermost tubes can roll or fold upwardly along the seams to cup around the arms and body of the child sitting in the seat. The body also has thereon inflatable fins which are decorative and which can act as a head rest or cradle for the child s head Patented April 13, 1911 1 3,574,874

INVENTORS CHARLES H. CHAFN ROY E. N\c G r-nc. BY

Fig. 10,03; ,hlnihmlfM MW! ATTORNEYS WATER TOY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a childs water toy and float.

2. Description of the Prior Art Various devices for supporting a child in the water are known. such as for example, the devices of the US. Pat. to Rison No. 2,207,025 and the US. Pat. to Tucker No. 2,075,374. These devices, however, are not entirely satisfactory for various reasons. First, they have a tendency to overturn as the child reaches out in one direction or the other because the innertubes which are a part of the respective devices do not extend a substantial distance in the horizontal direction. Second, these devices have a relatively unexciting appearance not intended to cause the occupant of the device to have the impression that he is in a fast water craft or space craft. Third, these devices provide no means for supporting the childs head and upper body should the child fall asleep or desire to rest.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One embodiment of this invention might include an inflatable substantially flat child's water toy and float comprising a main body having a front and a rear and a hollow interior and including a plurality of parallel tubes of flexible plastic material secured to one another and extending from front to rear, said main body having a central opening therein; a seat mounted on said parallel tubes in said central opening and including a single layer sheet of flexible material having at least a pair of leg openings therein located in the forward portion of said seat; said plurality of parallel tubes including a pair of tubes which are the outermost of said plurality of parallel tubes and which are positioned outside of said central opening; said pair of tubes being connected to others of said tubes along seams which extend from said front to said rear, said pair of tubes being adapted in response to buoyant water action to fold upwardly along said seams so as to cradle a child in said seat; and a pair of upright inflatable flexible plastic members secured to said main body behind said seat and each having a hollow interior which communicates with the hollow interior of said main body.

Objects of the invention are to provide a water toy capable of supporting a child in the water in a stable fashion; to provide a water toy and float having a racy or sporty appearance and to provide a water toy incorporating means for cushioning a childs body and head while he is resting or sleeping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the water toy float of the present invention showing it in an inflated condition;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the structure illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the device; and FIG. 4 is a rear elevation of the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is illustrated a water toy and float which includes a substantially flat inflatable pneumatic main body made up of six parallel tubes 11, 12, l5, l6, l7 and 20. The tubes and 16 are joined to one another by the seam 21 which is not completely closed but instead is opened at the portions 22 and 25 to. permit flow of air between the tubes 15 and 16. Tubes 17 and are jointed along the seam 26 which in similar fashion is open at the areas 27 and 30 to permit flow of air between the tubes 17 and 20. The tubes 11 and 15 are joined by the seam 31 which is open in the portion 32 to permit flow of air between these two tubes. Tubes 11 and 17 are connected along the seam 35 which is open in the portion 36 for the same purpose. In similar fashion the tube 12 is connected to the tube 16 along the seam 37 and to the tube 20 along the seam 40 with suitable air passage openings being provided at 41 and 42.

In order to fill the main body 10 with air the user of the present device blows air through the air input tube 45 which can be closed to keep air in the main body by means of a closure member 46. The seat 50 is mounted on the parallel tubes 11, 12, 15, 16, 17 and 20 and includes a single-layer sheet of flexible material. The seat 50 has openings 51 and 52 with the openings 51 being intended to receive the legs of the child so that the child will face forwardly or leftwardly of the main body 10 as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2. The seams 21, 26, 31, 35, 37 and 40 as well as the securing of the seat 50 to the various tubes of the main body are produced by a heat-sealing process. Preferably the material of which the present water toy is made is a heavy vinyl material which may be partially opaque in color and partially transparent for aesthetic purposes. Secured to the tubes 17 and 20 are a pair of upright inflatable flexible fins 55. The tubes 17 and 20 have openings 56 which lead from their interior into the interior of the fins 55. The fins 55 extend from their proximal ends 57 upwardly and rearwardly to their distal ends 60, and give the appearance of a fast air craft having a tail structure. The fins 55 also function to provide a cradle or head rest for the child sitting in the seat 50.

When the child is sitting in the present device in the water, the outermost tubes 11 and 12 have a tendency to fold upwardly relative to the remainder of the main body, said folding occurring along the seams 31, 35, 37 and 40. This tendency causes the outermost tubes 11 and 12 to cup or cradle the upper body of the child preventing overturning of the water toy while the child is enjoying himself and thrashing about with his arms and .upper body. The tubes 11 and 12 are pointed or have rearwardly projecting points at their outermost portions. This construction tends to spread out the substantially flat main body of the water toy to provide greater stability and also provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

It will be evident from the above description that the present apparatus provides a water toy capable of supporting a child in the water in a stable fashion. It also provides a water toy float which has a racy or sporty appearance. It will also be evident that the water toy of this invention incorporates means for cushioning the child's body and head while he is resting or sleeping.

We claim:

1. A childs water toy and float comprising:

an inflatable substantially flat main body having a front and a rear and a hollow interior and including a plurality of parallel tubes of flexible plastic material secured to one another and extending from front to rear, said main body having a central opening therein;

a seat mounted on said parallel tubes in said central opening and including a single-layer of flexible material having at least a pair of leg openings therein located in the forward portion of said seat;

said plurality of parallel tubes including a pair of tubes which are the outermost of said plurality of parallel tubes and which are positioned outside of said central opening; said pair of tubes being connected to others of said tubes along seams which extend from said front to said rear, said pair of tubes being adapted in response to buoyant water action to fold upwardly along said seams so as to cradle a child in said seat; and

a pair of upright inflatable flexible plastic members secured to said main body behind said seat and each having a hollow interior which communicates with the hollow interior of said main body.

2. The child's water toy of claim 1 wherein said plurality is six of said tubes, a second pair of said tubes being located in front of said seat and a third pair of said tubes being located to the rear of said seat.

3. The childs water toy of claim 2 wherein said outermost tubes have rearwardly projecting points at their outermost portions, said upright inflatable members projecting first upwardly and then rearwardly from their proximal portions. 

1. A child''s water toy and float comprising: an inflatable substantially flat main body having a front and a rear and a hollow interior and including a plurality of parallel tubes of flexible plastic material secured to one another and extending from front to rear, said main body having a central opening therein; a seat mounted on said parallel tubes in said central opening and including a single-layer of flexible material having at least a pair of leg openings therein located in the forward portion of said seat; said plurality of parallel tubes including a pair of tubes which are the outermost of said plurality of parallel tubes and which are posItioned outside of said central opening; said pair of tubes being connected to others of said tubes along seams which extend from said front to said rear, said pair of tubes being adapted in response to buoyant water action to fold upwardly along said seams so as to cradle a child in said seat; and a pair of upright inflatable flexible plastic members secured to said main body behind said seat and each having a hollow interior which communicates with the hollow interior of said main body.
 2. The child''s water toy of claim 1 wherein said plurality is six of said tubes, a second pair of said tubes being located in front of said seat and a third pair of said tubes being located to the rear of said seat.
 3. The child''s water toy of claim 2 wherein said outermost tubes have rearwardly projecting points at their outermost portions, said upright inflatable members projecting first upwardly and then rearwardly from their proximal portions. 